Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1887-01-05
A Thrilling Story Of Adventure at Sea
Told by an old Captain.

gathered at Lintons grocery awaiting
the arrival of the mail during the
late storm. Each one in his turn told
what he regarded as the biggest yarn,
when one of the old salts said
81 saw wave once off Cape of
Good Hope. We were scuddin' be-
fore the wind in n heavy gale. I was
standin' aft when the ship went off
and / could see the next wave as high
as the bowlin' crinkle of the for'top-
sell" This reused the fourth and old
est sailor of the party, who, having
adjusted his quid on the port side, rela.
ted the following thrilling and wonder
ful incident:
"In the year 1857 i was in the good
ship Minstrel, homeward bound from
India. and just off the Cape of Good
Hope al accident occurred l shall
never forget. For several days we
had blowing and gloomy weather, and
to add to the gloom my steward was
taken crazy and / had him below in
irons. I put in his place the cabin
boy, bright lad. who had shipped
with me. He belonged in Cleveland,
o. We were beating by the Cape, with
wind sou'west, blowing a gale. Twas
in my room preparing for breakfast
about half past 7, when l heard the
cry, "Man overheard I" You all know
who have been on the water the feel
in when one of our little number steps
out with so short a notice. My first
thought was, at is brother Henry"
for all sailors have superstition that
when two brothers sail on a ship but
one will come home alive. / was on
deck in an instant, but every man in
the ship was there before me and had
thrown overheard anything they
thought would help save the man, but
these were of no advantage to a good
swimmer and would hasten the drown
ing of man who couldn't swim.
at appears that the cabin boy had
gone to the cook house for the break
fast and the ship at that unlucky mo-
ment went down into one of those
heavy seas which swept the decks and
took him over the side. l reached
the deck in time to see him pass the
quarter, and it seemed to me never
saw the ship fly through the water so
swiftly. The boy was a brave, cool
lad and could see he was battling
manfully with the waves. No boat
could live in such sea, and there was
but one chance iIY a thousand to save
him, that was to tack ship. Of course
this depended on the boys kcepin'
above the waves.
"To wear round would bring the
ship so far TO le'ward of the boy that
no human aid could save him. There
was no time to think much so l gave
the order, Bout ship, every man to
his station" Sailors, you know, are
quick to feel, and in cases like this are
duick to act. Twas proud ofmy ship,
and felt she had few equals in her sail
in qualities, but being under short
sail and high sea was very much
against us. However, l watched for
a smooth time, and, as by magic, she
she came up and went around. went
up the mizzen riggin' and could see
was where the boy or his hat by the
large flock of Cape pigeons flying
over him, as they do when anything
is thrown from the ship. Being now
to windward of him we could shape
our course direct for him, but how to
get near enough to catch him in pass
ing and not let the ship strike him
was the next problem to solve. While
standing on the rail and guidin' the
ship it occurred to me that if the boy
was weak he could not hold on to a
rope if it reached him, so l ordered
a number Of men to be put oyer the
side secured by strong ropes fastened to
the mast lashed to the waist of the
ship. You know, Mr.. Linton, that
merchantmen always carry spars LASH
ed securely to the side? so / hoped
these men could catch him as the ship
passed. / called out in firm voice,
boys, don't you miss him." and they
knew from the way said it l meant.
He was now drawing near. and the
ship flying over the water. The man
in the fore chaip missed him, then the
next man and the next. The fourth
man, in the mizzen chains, was strong
bright fellow, and / saw him place his
feet against the ships side and push
himself off from the ship just as the
boy came up on a wave. Saved"
hurrahed the men, as they hauled him
on board. The hoy after getting on
deck shook himself and remarked, i
declare, I've lost my hat" A ten
cent straw hat he had bought in Pc
nang.-Martha's Vineyard Herald.